Ask any Nigerian importer what hurts most after the freight is paid, and you will hear the same answer: the port bill. In comments reported this week, the country’s new port regulator put a number on that pain.

Speaking at a sensitisation programme at the Abuja International Trade Fair, Dr Pauline Osasona, Head of the Abuja Liaison Office of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA), said charges at smaller ports in the region such as Lomé “are like maybe $1,500”. In Nigeria, she said, “by the time you calculate everything that people are bringing together and asking you to pay, you will be paying above $5,000”. That is more than three times as much, according to NPERA as reported by Tribune Online (7 October 2026).

Lomé is a benchmark here, not a route we recommend. For goods sold in Nigeria, Lagos remains the gateway. So the useful questions are: why is the gap so wide, what will NPERA do, and what can you control on your next shipment?

Where the Lagos-Lomé gap comes from

NPERA’s figures are an official’s comparison, not a published tariff study. But other industry groups describe the same problem and point to the same drivers.

1. Many charges, often for similar things

“All of us are aware that there are multiple charges at the ports. A lot of agencies charge almost the same thing,” Osasona said, as reported by both Tribune and Ships & Ports. She described importers paying customs, then a service provider or terminal operator, then more charges on top.

The Sea Empowerment and Research Centre (SEREC), in its 2025 Maritime Outlook reported by BusinessDay in January 2026, said Nigeria has one of the highest port business costs in West Africa. It blamed “arbitrary charges, high terminal handling fees and overlapping levies”.

2. Terminal and shipping line local charges

Local charges from terminals and shipping lines are a big part of any Lagos clearing bill. In May 2026, the Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN) rejected recent tariff increases by shipping lines and terminal operators. As reported by Vanguard, IMAN said a 20-foot container cleared in Benin Republic for about ₦7 million to ₦8 million costs ₦14 million to ₦15 million at Apapa. A 40-foot container costs about ₦13 million to ₦14 million there, against ₦19 million to ₦20 million at Apapa.

Shipping lines dispute that they are the main problem. In September 2026, the Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN) rejected claims of double charging for electronic cargo release. Its chairman, Boma Alabi, said the real culprits were “the numerous government agencies and the many intermediaries in this market”. She added that operators are also facing inflation, exchange-rate swings and dollar-priced equipment on a naira cost base (Vanguard).

Whoever is to blame, the importer pays the total.

3. Time: delays turn into storage and demurrage

In port, time really is money. SEREC put average cargo dwell time in Nigerian ports at 10 to 18 days, compared with 7 to 10 days in Lomé and Tema. Vessel turnaround was five to seven days in Nigeria, against two to three days in Lomé. SEREC linked the long dwell time to “multiple agency inspections, documentation duplication and partial automation”. It also noted that Nigeria runs more than 15 separate trade platforms that do not work well together. Human contact still makes up about 60 to 70 per cent of clearance touch points, against under 30 per cent in leading regional ports (BusinessDay).

Every extra day can add terminal storage and shipping line demurrage. That is often how a fair quote becomes a painful final bill.

4. Road access and trucking

Getting the container out of the port is a cost of its own. SEREC said truck turnaround improved to 24 to 48 hours in controlled corridors in 2025. However, it said “call-up system costs and logistics charges remain higher than regional averages”.

5. Exchange rates and finance costs

IMAN’s National General Secretary, Aliyu Yar’adua, said importers are already struggling with high foreign exchange rates, rising bank interest rates and multiple port charges. Some businesses, he said, have abandoned cargo because they could no longer afford the costs (Vanguard).

What NPERA says it will do

Osasona said NPERA’s mandate is “to bring sanity to our ports by making sure that all these small, small charges here and there, that we cut them and bring them to bare minimum so that our ports can be competitive.” She described the agency as a “referee” at the ports. She said the charges providers collect “will be sanctioned by us, approved by us”. Ships & Ports reported that NPERA will focus on removing unnecessary charges and bringing legitimate fees down.

For what the new law actually allows NPERA to do, including tariff filing, penalties and how to make a complaint, see our guide to the NPERA Act 2026 and port charges. The short version: the change will be gradual. Until new tariff guidelines take effect, your best savings come from how you plan and manage each shipment.

Seven ways to keep your clearing costs down today

1. Ask for an all-in, line-by-line quote

Do not accept “clearing: ₦X” as one figure. Ask for every line: shipping line local charges, terminal handling, customs duty and levies, agency fees, transport to your door, and the free days the quote assumes. Then you can compare offers fairly and spot extras later.

2. Have your documents ready before the ship arrives

Many delays start with paperwork. Make sure your Form M, supplier invoice, packing list, bill of lading and any product permits are correct and match each other before the vessel berths. One wrong HS code or mismatched value can mean queries, inspections and days of storage.

3. Know your free days and plan pickup

Find out how many free days your shipping line and terminal give, and when the clock starts. Pay duty early and book the truck in time so the container leaves before free days run out. Our post on avoiding demurrage and storage charges explains this step by step.

4. Choose your shipping line and terminal with care

Lines and terminals differ in both price and speed. When you book from China, ask which Lagos terminal the vessel will use (Apapa, Tin Can or Lekki) and what the local charges will be. Cheaper ocean freight can cost more once local charges and delays are added.

5. Check every invoice line

Before you pay, compare each line with your quote and ask what it is for. Look for duplicates, such as a release fee paid both abroad and in Lagos. SAN says that with an electronic bill of lading, there is no dollar charge abroad, only a local charge of ₦12,000. Ask which release option you are paying for.

6. Keep records and return empties on time

Keep every receipt with your container and bill of lading numbers. Return empties quickly to avoid extra charges and deposit delays. If a charge looks wrong, dispute it in writing.

7. Work with one accountable forwarder

More hands usually means more charges. A forwarder that handles freight, clearing and delivery as one job can plan the whole route, file documents early and answer for the final bill.

The bottom line

The gap between Lagos and ports like Lomé is real, and NPERA says it will work to close it. Until then, the importers who pay least get every cost in writing, keep documents clean and keep cargo moving.

Get a clear, line-by-line clearing quote

Septmax Logistics handles door-to-door shipping from China to Nigeria, including customs clearance and delivery. We can give you an all-in quote that shows every line, so you know what you will pay before your cargo arrives. Contact Septmax at septmax.com to request your quote today.

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